1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector, and more particularly to a card edge connector with latches comprising two metal elements on two sides of the plastic-formed supporting beams so as to secure an electronic card.
2. Description of the Related Art
Card edge connectors have been widely used in notebooks or other electronic apparatuses. One of the card edge connectors accommodates an electronic card, such as a memory module, to electrically connect with a motherboard. The card edge connector generally comprises a plastic housing and two side beams extended from two ends thereof. One end of the electronic card is inserted in the card edge connector. Through the connection of terminals of the electronic card and terminals of the plastic housing, the electronic card electrically connects with the motherboard. These two side beams hold two opposite end edges of the electronic card respectively. Through lock portions of the side beams, the electronic card is locked and fixed, and the issue of disassembling the electronic card resulting from outside vibration is avoided. In addition, the electrical disconnection of the electronic card and the motherboard can be prevented.
For a conventional card edge connector, its two side beams are stamped from a single metal plate and are fixed on the plastic housing. The metal plate, however, generates the metal shielding effect. As a result, the side beams formed of the metal plate will affect the normal operation of the devices on the electronic card. Moreover, since each of the side beams is an independent element, a relatively complicated locker structure should be formed at the place corresponding to each of the side beams to fix to the electronic card. Accordingly, the structure not only increases the complexity of fabricating the metal elements, but also raises the manufacturing costs.
Accordingly, another card edge connector was developed. The card edge connector comprises a plastic housing and latch assemblies on its two ends. Each of the latch assemblies comprises an elastic plastic element and an elastic metal element. The elastic plastic element is formed on the plastic housing by a one-piece process. By the assembly of the elastic plastic element and the elastic metal element, the metal shielding effect caused by the metal side beams described above can be reduced. While the card edge connector is used, the elastic plastic element collides with the elastic metal element. Because the structure strength of the elastic plastic element is not strong enough, the elastic plastic element will be distorted after several uses. Finally, fractures occur at the joint of the elastic plastic element and the plastic housing, and the whole card edge connector cannot be used anymore. Moreover, since the latch structure of the metal element is very complicated and the metal element is formed by a one-piece process, the structure not only increases the complexity of fabricating the latch assembly but also raises the costs of molds.
Therefore, how to fabricate a card edge connector with a simple structure, high structure strength, and low costs is an issue to be solved.